1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a song search system and song search method that are used to search for a desired song from among a large quantity of song data stored in a large-capacity memory means such as a UMB, HDD or the like, and particularly to a song search system and song search method that are capable of searing for songs based on impression data that is determined according to human emotion.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, large-capacity memory means such as an HDD have been developed, making it possible for large quantities of song data to be recorded in large-capacity memory means. Searching for large quantities of songs that are recorded in a large-capacity memory means has typically been performed by using bibliographic data such as artist's name, song title, keywords, etc., however, when searching using bibliographic data, it is not possible to take into consideration the feeling of the song, so there is a possibility that a song giving a different impression will be found, so this method is not suitable when it is desired to search for songs having the same impression when listened to.
Therefore, in order to be able to search for songs desired by the user based on subjective impression of the songs, an apparatus for searching for desired songs has been proposed in which the subjective conditions required by the user for songs desired to be searched for are input, quantified and output, and from that output, a predicted impression value, which is the quantified impression of the songs to be searched for, is calculated, and using the calculated predicted impression value as a key, a song database in which audio signals for a plurality of songs, and impression values, which are quantified impression values for those songs, are stored is searched to find desired songs based on the user's subjective image of a song (for example, refer to Japanese patent No. 2002-278547).
However, in the prior art, physical characteristics of songs that are converted to impression values are searched based on estimated impression values that are digitized from subjective requirements input by the user, so input items that are the subjective requirements input by the user as search conditions are consolidated, and there was a problem in that it was impossible to perform a highly precise search of song data based on subjective requirements.
Also, in the prior art, it was necessary for the user to perform complicated controls to input subjective impressions of the songs when performing a search, and since the estimated impression values that are digitized from the subjective requirements input by the user are not necessarily close to the impression of the target song, there was a problem in that it was not possible to quickly find songs having the same impression as the target song from among a large quantity of song data stored in a large-capacity memory means.